Credits and Resources
Text-Only Tutorial copyright 2026 by Lindy van der Merwe
Please note: This tutorial only covers the assembly of a 12 unit cube from the Square Module within the Penultimate unit family.
For a tutorial on how to fold the actual module and other units within the Penultimate Unit family, visit the following page:
Paper to be used: 12 squares of similar size; use large paper to practice with at first.
Note some tutorials recommend using a rectangle made by accordion-folding a square into fourths and then removing one of the panels.
Folding level: Beginner/Intermediate
Introduction
A unit or module in origami is like a puzzle piece.
To make a modular origami figure, you will need to fold more than one unit and assemble them in a certain way.
There are a myriad of unit types and variations. This tutorial describes the assembly method for a 12-unit cube, one of the five Platonic solids. It has 6 square faces, 12 edges and 8 corners or vertices.
The finished cube features a square cutout that is positioned at an angle on each face of the cube, making it a great choice for a decoration with or without a flameless candle, LED or similar light source placed inside.
Part 1 - The units
You will need 12 already-folded Penultimate Square Modules from the following page.
Penultimate Pentagon and Square Units
Important: Make sure that all units are accordion-folded so they will have layers, which will form the pockets, on both long sides and also, all should be folded with their bottom left corners diagonally upwards and their top right corners diagonally downwards.
Open all units halfway, reinforcing the long creases of the units. The floor and wall parts should be visible and the end tabs should stand at 90 degree angles.
Explanation:
Because our units are multi-layered, they will have pockets that have formed along their long edges. The short ends of the units or the tabs will be inserted near the corners into these long edges to form a kind of frame for our cube.
Since we have 12 units, each corner will be where three of our units are going to meet or weave into each other.
As always, remember that the following is just one method of assembly. Once you understand the basic structure, you can assemble your cube in any way you find is easiest for you.
For the assembly, we will first create a flat frame with four pillars, using eight units. Then, we will connect the pillars, using our last four units.
Part 2 - Assembly
Frame and Pillars
Corner 1
1.1 Placement
Place your first two units next to each other, both with their small tabs on the left and right.
The modules should be open so each will have a "floor" part and a "wall" part horizontally in front of you.
Make sure that both units are placed with their "wall" parts standing up furthest away from you. The wall of each unit should form a long slope from top left to the bottom right. The "floor" parts on the other hand, should be nearest you, in front of the walls, flat on the table and they will slope from the right, nearest you to a point furthest away from you, on the left.
The small corner tabs should form 90 degree angles as you assemble the cube. This will happen naturally, so don't worry too much about them for now.
Without lifting our units, we are going to rotate them so they face each other. Unit 1, on the left should be rotated 90 degrees left, while unit 2, on the right, should be rotated 90 degrees to the right.
Both units should now have their short ends closest to you.
1.2 Join first two units
To join the two units, do the following:
Pick up unit 1 with your left hand and open its long edge, nearest the table.
Hold the edge/pocket open with your thumb near the left end of the unit.Place your cupped hand over unit 2 with the end tab (the one furthest away from you) between your thumb and forefinger.
Picking up the unit, press the tab you are holding flat with your thum and bring it close to the side of unit 1.
You are ready for joining the first two units.
Now, slide the tab of unit 2 into the "floor" of unit 1 and then all the way up into the "wall" of the unit. You are aiming for the tab of unit 2 to come to rest within unit 1's left corner, nearest you, just where the wall ends and the tab starts to bend.
You are temporarily forcing the tab flat so you can start the insertion and then letting it bend back into the angle we want.
You should feel a slight resistance and then a "loosening" as the units move into place.
The left tab of unit 1 will be standing up on its own while units 1 and 2 will be joined at a 90 degree angle, forming the first two edges of the cube.
The two joined units will both lay flat on the table.
1.3 Forming a pillar
Unit 3 will form a pillar, completing our first corner of the cube.
First, place the two-unit assembly oriented on a table so it forms the right corner of an imaginery cube. Specifically, the two long units should be flat on the table - one on the right and one in front of you.
Next, let unit 3 stand straight up, like a pillar. It will rest on its left end tab.
Keeping it in this position, open the right side of the long edge of unit 2 and slide the tab of unit 3 into it, right at the corner nearest you. You might have to pull the tab of unit 1 out of the way, towards you when opening the right edge of unit 2 since unit 3 needs to slide in right near the place where the first two units are already joined.
If you find it difficult to do this step on the table, feel free to pick up the assembly and hold it in a way that feels comfortable. You could then place it down again for orientation purposes.
Because of the angles, you should feel another light snap as the units bend a little and then settle into place.
Don't let go of the assembly yet, though. We still need to do one more step to lock our corner into place.
1.4 Locking
After this insertion, the tab of unit 1 will still be unattached, hanging around on the outside of the corner assembly.
Only once this tab is tucked in securely, will our first corner be completed.
The tab in question needs to be tucked into the long side of unit 3, our pillar. For this to happen, you will need to hold the already-formed corner in place while carefully bending unit 3 to the right to be able to access its left long pocket.
It may help to anchor units 1 and 2 on the table while you perform this step. The tab of unit 1 should slot into the bended side of unit 3
Don't be alarmed if, the first time you join the tab, the corner "pops out" or disintegrates. It may take a few tries to get all three units to work together. One method that may work is to partially insert all three tabs and then press them all into place at once.
Feel free to try out different techniques and use what works for you.
Result: First corner formed; there are now two edges and one pillar completed.
1.5 Explanation and orientation
Make sure that each unit has entered into its adjoining unit all the way and that you don't inadvertently flatten or twist the long edges of the units during the assembly. They should remain folded into a "floor" and a "wall" part. Actually, it helps to reinforce the long fold frequently during assembly. Also make sure you are joining units at their corners and not just on the sides near the corners. You need all three units to slot together correctly and completely to form a neat, strong corner for the cube.
If it feels like your units won't lock together, it is likely that their center, long spine folds and/or their end tabs have started to flatten out. Either reinforce these folds strongly or consider folding new units that will have strong, crisp creases to work with.
Before proceeding, you can gently try to pull your assembly apart. If the units stay put, hardly moving, you have a working recipe for the next corner.
Important: Now that we know how to form a single corner, we need to change the orientation of the units just slightly, but the joining method will stay exactly the same as for the first corner.
So, going forward, keep in mind that we will form all our corners on the table and on the right, each time adding one flat edge and a pillar so we will end up with a square frame on the table with the four pillars standing up on each corner.
You can thus lift up your assembly to insert units at any time, but to form a corner, always first add one unit on the right that should be stretching away from you and one that should stretch towards the ceiling.
Don't worry. This will make sense soon
Corner 2
Keeping the assembly flat on the table, rotate it so the corner with its pillar just formed will be on the left.
The unit laying in front of us from left to right is unit 2, so we will be adding units 4 and 5 on the right, using exactly the same method as we did before, resulting in the formation of a second corner of the cube.
Hold unit 4 flat and add it into the floor of unit 2; unit 4 will stretch away from you.
Hold unit 5, the pillar, upright, and add it on the right side of unit 4.
Tuck the loose end tab of unit 2 into the side of unit 5.
Result: Second corner formed; there are now three edges and two pillars completed.
Corner 3
Rotate the assembly once more so the corner just formed will be on the left. Repeat the previous step to form the next/third corner, adding units 6 and 7.
Unit 6 will stretch away from you and unit 7 will form the pillar.
Result: Third corner formed; there are now four edges and three pillars completed.
Corner 4
Rotate the assembly for the last time. You will find that there are two end tabs (those from unit 1 and unit 6) already present on this corner.
We first have to connect these two units in the same way as before.
So, the end tab of unit 1 will slot into the side of unit 6, completing our flat frame.
We will now add unit 8 into the side of unit 1 and tuck the end tab of unit 6 into unit 8, completing the fourth and final pillar.
Result: Fourth corner formed; there are now four edges and four pillars completed.
Part 2 - Joining the Pillars
We will complete the cube by connecting the pillars using our last four units. We will once again use the same method as in Part 1 to complete four more corners, but to make things easier, we will now place our assembly on its side for the last steps.
Corner 5
Orient your assembly so that the bottom face that has already been fully formed is on the left. The four pillars should stick out to the right.
It should feel like a table placed on its side, with the table top on the left and the legs/pillars sticking out to the right.
Two pillars will be on the table and two will be in the air.
Focus on the corner of the pillar that is touching the table, running from left to right in front of you. Think of this as unit 1 again and first add unit 9 as if it were unit 2 and then add unit 10 as if it were unit 3.
Unit 9 should stretch away from you while unit 10 will be standing straight up, like a new pillar.
Result: Fifth corner formed; two new edges have been formed.
Corner 6
Now, carefully tilt the assembly towards you and focus on the new unit that will be flat on the table in front of you. You first have to connect this unit to unit 10, which will be stretching away from you.
Then, add unit 11 as if it is another pillar.
Result: Sixth corner formed; three new edges have been formed.
Corner 7
Again, carefully tilt the assembly towards you and focus on the new unit that will be flat on the table in front of you. You first have to connect this unit to unit 11, which will be stretching away from you.
Then, add unit 12 as if it is another pillar.
Result: Seventh corner formed; four new edges have been formed.
Corner 8
Since we have now inserted all our units, the only thing that remains is to tilt the model towards us for a last time and complete the last corner with the three units that should already be in place.
So, first join the two units that are flat on the table; then join the pillar and insert the final end tab.
Your cube is completed.
Making origami accessible through text-only tutorials
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe - March 2026
This text copyright 2026 by https://www.accessorigami.com and the author.
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